Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Springfield, Massachusetts gets D-League basketball team

NBA Development League President Dan Reed announced today at a press conference at the Basketball Hall of Fame that HWS Basketball, LLC will be bringing an NBA D-League team to Springfield, Massachusetts for the 2009-10 season.  The team will play at Springfield’s MassMutual Center.

The new team will be owned and operated by Michael Savit who is the managing partner of HWS Basketball, LLC, a group of local investors.  Savit brings with him to Springfield and the NBA D-League a wealth of minor league operational and sports business experience, including time as Senior Vice President at the Cleveland-based International Management Group (IMG) and as the managing partner of minor league baseball teams in the South Atlantic League, Midwest League, Southern League, California League, Coastal Plain League and New York-Penn League.

Savit and his group have been awarded the right to relocate the NBA D-League team currently playing in Anaheim, California to Springfield.  While the local ownership group will have the option to retain rights to current Anaheim Arsenal players, they will announce a new name, colors, and a mascot for the Springfield team later on this spring.

“As the NBA D-League continues to move east, we’re very excited to bring a team to a place that not only has rich basketball history, but also boasts an impressive ownership group, strong civic leadership and community support,” said Reed.  “We’re thrilled to welcome such a well-respected and experienced operator in Mike Savit to our ownership ranks, and look forward to not only bringing our unique brand of affordable, family-friendly, and NBA-caliber basketball to Springfield, but becoming a vital part of the greater Springfield community.”

Today’s announcement featured Reed, Savit, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, James E. Rooney, executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, University of Massachusetts men’s basketball head coach and Springfield native Derek Kellogg and George Ramirez, the deputy director and general counsel of the Department of Business Development, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.   Rooney served as a master of ceremonies for the event.

“Today is an exciting day for Springfield!” said Savit.  “I’m thrilled to be a part of the group that brought professional basketball back to the game’s birthplace and I can’t wait to contribute to this city’s great basketball history and become part of the fabric of the community.”

“The National Basketball Association, Springfield and the MassMutual Center are a powerful combination,” said Rooney of the MCCA, which owns the venue. “The entire Pioneer Valley will undoubtedly embrace our new pro team, and we plan to be worthy partners with our top-tier service and state-of-the-art amenities.”

The team in Springfield will be affiliated with two NBA team parent-clubs, which will be able to assign their first and second year players to the club up to three times during a season. Thus far, the 2008-09 NBA D-League season has had 30 NBA players assigned on 39 occasions to NBA D-League affiliates to continue to develop their games. An announcement regarding Springfield’s NBA team affiliations will occur during the offseason.

Nuggets recall Sonny Weems from D-League

The Denver Nuggets have recalled G/F Sonny Weems from the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

Weems, who was re-assigned to the 14ers on March 6, has averaged 20.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.9 apg and 1.05 spg in 19 outings during two separate stints for Colorado this season. His second stint with the 14ers was highlighted by several big games, including a 36 point (15-22 FG), nine rebound outburst at Erie on March 27.

Weems was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the second round (39th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft before being traded to Denver for a 2009 second-round draft pick. In 10 games for the Nuggets this season, Weems has averaged 1.3 ppg in 4.1 mpg.

OKC Thunder sign Shaun Livingston

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed guard Shaun Livingston to a multi-year deal, Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Livingston, 23, is being called-up from the NBA Developmental League’s Tulsa 66ers, where he averaged 9.5 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 29.4 minutes in 11 games (10 starts). At the time of his call-up, the 6’7’’ guard ranked seventh in the D-League in assists (6.0). He scored a season-high 22 points on March 27 at Rio Grande Valley Vipers and dished out a season-best 11 assists against Iowa Energy on March 12.

Originally selected by the L.A. Clippers in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft (#4 overall), he has appeared in 149 NBA games with L.A. Clippers and Miami.  The Peoria, Illinois native owns career averages of 7.3 points, 4.7 assists, 3.1 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per contest.

Livingston, who will wear jersey #14 with the Thunder, becomes the 19th Call-Up of the 2008-09 season and the 137th player since the league began play in 2001.

Thunder recall D.J. White from D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled forward D.J. White from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

White was assigned to Tulsa for the second time this season on March 29.  During his most recent stint, White appeared in one game and recorded six points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and a block in 11 minutes.  Overall, he’s seen action in four games D-League contests averaging 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 30.8 minutes.

Mark Cuban fined for Twitter comments

The AP reports: The NBA slapped Mavericks owner Mark Cuban with a $25,000 fine Sunday for publicly criticizing the officials after Denver’s 103-101 win over Dallas. Cuban used the Twitter online social network to complain after Friday night’s game that Denver’s J.R. Smith was not called for coming off the bench to taunt Antoine Wright after he missed a shot near the Nuggets bench.

James Posey suspended for throwing ball at ref

James Posey of the New Orleans Hornets has been suspended one game without pay for throwing a ball at a game official, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 5:46 remaining in the fourth quarter of the New York Knicks 103-93 victory over the Hornets at Madison Square Garden on Friday, March 27.

Posey will serve his suspension tonight when the Hornets host the San Antonio Spurs at the New Orleans Arena.

Thunder re-assign DJ White to D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has re-assigned forward D.J. White to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

White was previously assigned to the 66ers on March 18 before being recalled on March 23. During his first stint in Tulsa, he appeared in three games averaging 17.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 assist in 37.7 minutes. He is expected to be in uniform tonight when Tulsa hosts Bakersfield at 6:00 P.M.

NBA teams can assign up to two players who are rookies or in their second season to their D-League affiliate. Players can stay with the D-League team for as long as the team wishes, and be recalled back to the NBA at any time. However, a player can only be sent to the D-League a maximum of three times during the season.

Mike James done for season

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that guard Mike James suffered a fracture of the right fifth proximal phalanx (right pinky finger) and will miss the remainder of the season.  He sustained the injury during yesterday’s practice.

James had averaged 9.6 points and 3.6 assists in 53 games (50 starts) for the Wizards this season.  He was acquired along with guard Javaris Crittenton in a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Hornets on Dec. 9.

The Washington Post (Michael Lee) reports (via blog): James even put aside any doubt the severity of the injury when pulled out his iPhone and showed his X-ray. James said he was chasing down a loose ball when he and Caron Butler slapped at the ball at the same time. He said that he knew immediately that he was done. “I felt it,” James said. “I knew as soon as I grabbed the ball, I couldn’t feel the ball and that side of the hand was hurting.”

Jermareo Davidson done for season

Golden State Warriors forward Jermareo Davidson underwent successful surgery today to repair a stress fracture in his left foot (fifth metatarsal), the team announced.  The surgery was performed by Dr. John Belzer and Dr. Keith Donatto at the Presidio Surgery Center in San Francisco.

Davidson, 24, appeared in 14 games this season for Golden State, averaging 3.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 7.9 minutes per contest.  He will be sidelined for the remainder of the season and the foot will be immobilized for approximately one month.